Giddy Up! Sucre, Bolivia

Wasi Masi Urcullo 233, 50 Bolivianos x person, private bathroom!

Though we spent little time in this big village/little city, we wanted to spend more! But, capucha, it´s been a month and we´re still in Bolivia- we need to giddy up!! :) Sucre was originally the capital of Bolivia until one president, way back when, decided to move himself and the congress to La Paz. The supreme court still lives in Sucre but as you can imagine, as La Paz is much bigger and has the president, there is always the argument as to where the "real" capital of Bolivia is.

We arrived in our fancy bus cama (bus bed, where the seats recline alot, practically into a bed.) Lori wasn´t impressed, but I was loving it! With an entire window to ourselves, it was like having a big screen TV in my bedroom (and lots of strangers... that part was weird.) It was Discovery Channel live... we had a full moon that was so bright that I thought I could touch it. I imagined a guy with an Australian accent describing the lightening and thunder storm happening behind the mountain range in the distance. People pay lots of money for TVs this good, I paid 60 Bolivianos (and it´s a gamble, usually we get uncomfortable seats and a window glued shut :)

Sucre was quite charming. In the market (our usual first stop in a city for some quick, cheap grub. Ask my mom about the market in Baños, Ecuador. Not the classiest of places but always a treat) the women were so friendly and helpful. What a nice change!

We packed a lunch and headed up to the Mirador (a high spot where you can get a nice view of the entire city.) We arrived and started preparing our favorite Lori Andrea sandwiches when we were approached by an artesano, "Volleyball when you finish?" "Sure!" Then a little girl comes over, "These cookies are for Laura." "What?!?" We look over and see a familiar face- Daniel the (inexperienced) other drum player from La Paz when we performed in the street! (see entry La Paz III.5)

We finished our delish sandwiches and joined Daniel and his friends for the rest of the afternoon, bruising our forearms with 2 and a half hour volleyball game and a terribly hard ball. After the game, Daniel invited us to his house for cookies (his mom is a cookie maker) and tea. The most innocent request we´d heard in awhile, we accepted and hung out at his house with his funny nieces and some dumb American movie about Oktoberfest and an international beer drinking competition. Do we really miss the states? :)

Pooped, we headed back to our hostal and bathed ourselves in our fancy, private shower (with hot water and everything!) Done and done.

The next day we decided to visit Ñucchu, a pueblito outside of Sucre. In a very unhurried, South American fashion we waited on the corner at the cemetery, with no sense of urgency, for 2 and a half hours for the one bus a day to bring us to Ñucchu. How we´ve changed from our fast American ways.

Finally, a tagless, empty van passed, we flagged it down, the driver mumbled something. "Fine, lets go... wherever..." "I´ll take you a quarter of the way, half way or the whole way for 5 bolivianos..." the driver told us. I guess we´ll go... the whole way? How about for a quarter and a half of the way? :)

Finally, we arrive at Ñucchu. Our driver drops us off at a lonely river, "Cross the river and when you want to go back to the city, come here. There should be transportation. Chao!" No time to decide, he abandons us at the river.

We wade across the river and across a bridge to a town. It seems that, besides the two people working in a field far away, a few chickens and a pig- we´re the only life here. We crossed town (in 5 minutes and 32 seconds) and laughed and laughed and laughed at the "tourist attraction-ito" we had just visited.

We finished our last supplies of Lori Andrea sandwiches while practically being plowed over by herds of cows and spent the afternoon watching the red clay colored river pass us by (which apparently is good for the skin.)

After about an hour, we slowly crossed back through town again. This time there are signs of life (though minimal.) We wade across the river again and thankfully, transportation is ready to take us back to Sucre (a small miracle.)

That´s enough adventure for one day. Tomorrow to Tupiza.